Pin type feeding device



Jan. 21, 1947. A. w. METZNER rm TYPE mamas DEVICE Filed July "24, 1942 2sh ts-sum 1 llllmlllllull INVENTOR AL BER r WMEIZA/ER Jan. 21, 1947.

A. METZNER PIN TYPE FEEDING DEVICE Filed July 24-, 1942" 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR m m w W. T R

k yn u sv Patented Jan. 21, 1947 1' T P rsnnmcnnvrcn Albert W. Metmer,Dayton, Ohiorassignor to The Standard Register Company, llaytom ohio, a

" ,,corporation of Ohio Application July 24, 1942, Serial No. 452,150

8 Claims. (CL 271-24) This invention pertains to motion transmittingapparatus of thechain and sprockettype,"

pin feeding apparatus to typewriters, billing,

andmore particularly to a construction and mode of operation wherein theadvantageousoperating conditions of a sprocket of relatively largediametermay be achieved within a limited working space too restrictedto"acconimodate a conventlonal sprocket wheel of commensurate size.

The invention is herein illustrated and described as comprising a pintype lfeeding device for progressively advancing continuous strips ofrecord material past a recording position of a writing or imprintingapparatus, for which purpose the present apparatus is well adapted, but

it is to be understood that in suitable size and design the inventionis" applicable to other sprocket drive operations for various purposes,

and is not'necessarily limited tofeeding manifolding stationery.

, Continuous form type feedingdevlces is ordinarily provided withlongitudinallyspaced holes or other configuratfims, usually, but notnecessarily, in the margin t ereof. When such punched material is tangentially advanced over a sprocket orpin wheel of relatively small"size, thefeeding pins or sprocket teeth abruptly enter and leavetheholes in the material along curved paths which intersect the path of therecord material atre'latively wide angles, whereas when the recordmaterial tangentially passes over a sprocket of larger size,

stationery engageable by pin tabulatingand addressing machines, thedispositlon ofcontiguous parts ofthe'rnachine effectually,

prevent use of a relatively large pin wheel, 'the, eifect of whichisachieved withinlimited bounds i by the present disclosure.

In registering and aligning superposed record stripsby means of pintype-feeding devices, to,

compensate for differential] stretch and shrinkage of individual recordstrips and mechanical imperfections of. printing and punching theil feedholes are punched in definite relation with succeeding printed recordimpressions, and minute relative shiftingmotion or jogging effect of thesuperposed record strips one relative to another is effectedas thepinsprogressiveiyenter the, succeeding feed holes to adjust thecorrespond ing forms into exact registry regardless e: the expansion orcontraction thereof, or slight errors of spacing of succeeding imprintedformsthere-f one It is highly desirable, however, that the the pins orsprocket teeth enter and leave the I A holes in the strip non;alongerfarc of greater radius inlmore' acute relation with the path oftravel of "the strip. M i i The "strip maintains its feeding engagementwith the smaller sprocket during a less period oftime. To maintain agiven rate of feeding. speed, the small sprocket must be rapidly rotatedcausing the feeding pins or sprocketteeth to eriter and leave the holesin'the strip more quickly, effecting a more or less jerky or disturbedmotion. To the contrary, the feeding pins or teeth of a pin wheel ofgreater diameternot only enter and leave the holes less abruptly, butmaintain their engagement through a greater range,

or arc, and the peripheral speed of the larger sprocket or pin wheelbeing greater, less rotation is required, and a more even, -smoothfeeding action is efiected.

However, in manyinstances the available space for location of thesprocket or pin wheel is quite limited, as for exampleJn an autographicregister of the portable type, the housing orcabinet of which iscomparatively shallow, or, in; applying number of feeding pins havingfull and partial engagement with the record material be com- 'rnensuratewith the sizefof .the feed holes in the record material and the relativespacing thereof and the clearance of the pins therein. in too few pinsengage the holes in the record materialat a given time, the freedom forrelative shifting movement may be excessive, thereby losing completecontrol of the material, and the record material may not beheldsumciently accurately positioned during the recording operation. To thecontrary, if too many feeding pins simultaneously engage in the holes of,thesuperposed record material, the capability for relative adjustmentnecessary for accurate registry and alignment may be so restricted as,to defeat such purpose, or indeed to entirely prevent thedesirablejogging or shiftingmotion.

The most efllclent and desirable range of pin engagement with the recordmaterial and number thereof lies betweerithe mentioned extremes,

andis determined byth size-of the feed holes,

rapid the relative spacingthereof and the clearance of u the feedingpins therein. The present disclosure enables the, are through whichthepin carrying conveyor belt is, guided to be changed at will for anotherof diirerent radius to better accommodate the particular character ofthe record material being fed and the conditions of use of the feedingunit. The construction,. further enables the benefit and advantages oflarge orsmall radius travelof thefeeding pins to .be achieved onvarioustypes of recording, writing and imprintdescribed.

ing apparatus, wherein Substitution of full size pin wheels would bequite impossible.

construction as well as the means and mode ofoperation of drivingsprockets, and particularly pin type feeding devices for strip material,

whereby they may not only be economically,

manufactured, but will be more efficient in use, automatic in operation,uniform in action, having few operating parts, and be unlikely to'getout of repair.

A further object of the invention is to enable the achievement of theadvantageous operations'of'a sprocket or pin wheel, of comparativelylarge size within a space too limited to accom-" modate aconventionalsprocket or pin wheel of commensurate size. I A further object of theinvention is to provide a. construction wherein feeding teeth or pinswill gradually enter into engagement with a driven member and willmaintain their engagement therewith throughout a greater range'oftravel. A further object of the invention isto enable relatively shallowstrip feeding devices to be constructedfand used without sacrificing thestrip feeding advantages of deeper andmore capacious constructions. v 1.A further and'important object of the inven- 4 Fig. 5 is a detailsectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a similar view online 68of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7'is a diagrammatic view showing comparatively the relation to theengaged strip of conventional sprockets of different radii, and theirdirection of travel of their teeth into and out of feeding engagement.)I

Fig. 8 is. a side elevation of a tractor; feed for a typewriter,'tabulator,- billing machine or the like, embodying the presentinvention.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of -a guide roller therefor. Fig- 10 is amodifiedembodiment of the structure shown in Fig.8. I

Like parts are indicatedby similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1' a typicalautographic register to which the present invention is .applied, whichincludes a housing or cabinet lhaving therein a compartment 2 toreceivea supply packet of stationery 3, which is progressivley advanced past arecording position upon a writing tablet 4' beneath anaccess opening 5in the cabinet top.

The stationery. 3.: advanced over thewriting tablet by the pin typefeeding devices herein, disclosed comprises superposed continuousmarginally punched strips of series connected detachableprinted formsdivisibleaon longitudi-. j

nallyspaced transverseweakened lines into in-' dependent sheets orslips. Experience has shownji that best strip feeding conditions prevailwhen a relativelylarge pin wheel is employed, for example, one of eleveninches circumference, havtlon is to provide strip feeding mechanism "affording a. large feeding radiusfor short length record forms.

"A further object of the invention is to effect a gradual entry of thefeeding pins into feeding engagement with the strip of material beingad'- ,vanced, and to maintain the feeding engagement through increasedrange, but effect a quick disengagement of the pins therefrom at the endof the activefeeding interval of such 'pins.

A further object of th'einvention is to provide a" sprocket or pin type'feedin'g'construction, wherein the feeding radius may be optionallyvaried to accommodate different record mate-' rials, and meet differentoperating conditions.

A further and primary object of the invention is to provide a sprocketor pin type feeding device having the advantageous structural featuresand embodying the inherent meritorious characteristics and mode ofoperation herein equivalents, as hereinafter described or illustrated inthe accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein is shown the preferred but obviouslynotnecessarilythe only forms of embodiment of the invention,

Fig.1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portable type autographicregister in which the presentinvention is embodied. r

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the assembled autographicregister shown in Fig.

Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view.

ing twenty-two radial teeth spaced at half inch intervals. Such pinwheel is capable of feeding a full eleven inch record form upon vasingle rotation.

Howeveiy a typical portable autographic V register, ,such as that.hereinillustrated, will accommodate only a small sizepin wheel of notmore than five inches circumference"(l.5915" diameter) having but tenfeeding pin's. As is illustratedin Fig. 7, the feeding pins '8 of a pinwheel A of larger size, approach the plane of the advancing strip 3 atan acute angle a, and enter and leave the holes in'the recordstrip moreslowlyand gradually, and maintain their engagement therewith throughgreater range of movement-than do, the pins 1 of the smaller wheelB. Thepins .1 of the smaller .pinwheel traverse a I path at amuch wider angleb, with the engaged thereof, and the mode of operation, or their Fig. 4is a detail side elevationviewe'd from the side opposite Fig. 1.

strip, and enter and leave the holesjtherein abruptly. With such smalldiameter pin wheel the pin I which is leaving the strip is entirelydisengaged beforethe incoming pin 1 is properly engaged, and at anintermediate position only one pin is in operative"engagementwith thestrips. I'To feed a givenlength form at a specified speed requires twicethe rotation of thesmaller pin wheel. Q'I'he larger wheel radius A,enablesthe, strip to be advanced at a greater speed without dangeroffmutilating the feed holes, and the pins entering and leaving thestrip more slowly "and through greater range, tend to efl'ect moresmooth operation.

In the present instance, the large size of the sprocket or pin wheel iseliminated, but the increased efiective feeding arcof: the pin travel isretained.

Near the 'front of the cabinet journaled in suitable bearings inspacedpartitions athereof, isa transverse revoluble shaft 9. At'its end is arotary disc 10 onwhich is eccentrically posi- 'or'pulley l2. Additionaldiscs I! tioned a crank H for manual rotation of the shaft. is Mountedon the rotary shaft 9 is a pair of spaced circular heads orpulleys l2,the peripheral faces of: which are smooth throughout the greater portionof theirwidths, but which have a narrow series of sprocket teeth 13pro-.

jecting beyond the smooth peripheral surfaces thereof. The gear orsprocket teeth I: are pref erably, but not necessarily, formed uponseparate discs 14 secured to a lateral face of each head peripheriesagreeing with those of themain heads I! are secured outside with theshaft 9. titions 8 adjacent I2 are segmental guides which are arcuateupon radii greater than those of the heads or pulleys 12, but disposedsecured to the cabinet parto the rotary heads tangentially thereto. .Therelationissuch that studs l 1 projecting from the rollers l8. Disposedabout the pulleys l2 and the idler rollers l8 and over the arcuatesurface of the guide it therebetween are endless flexible belts or tapesI! equipped with spacedfeeding pins 20 fixed thereto. In their approachto the.

arcuate guides IS, the endless tapes or belts l9 pass beneath invertedchanneled guides 2 lflwhich maintain the belts or tapes l9 and thefeeding pins 20 thereon in a substantially straight path of travel belowand th plane of travel of thereover.

The feeding pins 20 of project within the inverted. channels of theguides 2i, while the marginsof the tapes or belts have travelingengagement upon the under faces of the guides at opposite sides of thechannels.

Beyond the channeled guides 2 l, of which there is one at each side ofthe register, the belts or tapes are directed upwardly over the arcuatesurfaces of the guides i and thence onto the pehaving smooth the tootheddiscs M to form complete units which are revoluble the level of the.writing tablet 4 the, record material 3 the I endless belts or pulleysII, the upper surfaces of diameter is thatthe .pins enter into andwith-.

draw from the holes in the. strips within a much lesslineal travel inthe instance, of thesmaller radius than when advanced over an arc ofgreater radius at exactly the same lineal speed. By the combination ofthe arcuate guide of larger radius and the pulley of smallerfradius,over which thepin carrying belt is advanced successively, an effect ofslow and gradualfentr'yand longer maintalned feedingengagement 'of thefeeding pins, followed by a quickwithdrawal, is

accomplished. e

After passing about the rotary heads or pulleys 12, the peripheries ofwhich aretangential to the arcuate guide surfaces of the guides I5,thebelts or tapes. is are directed along curvedgchanneied guides 22,within thechannels of which the feed pins 20 project while the tapes orbelts ride upon the guides at oppositesides of the channels. Thecurvilinear portions oi disposed tangentially to the periphery of therotary pulleys 12 ward portions of such guides 22 extend in tangentialrelation with the idler pulleysifl. To transmit motion uniformlydromthe' rotary pulleys I: to the pin carryingbelts or tapes 19, the latter.are each series of holes. or perforations 23 in which the teeth l3 ofthe discs i4, comprising portions of thecorrespo nding pulleys zQmveprogressive engagement. The coaction of the sprocket teeth H with thecorresponding belt or tape is is but a conventional sprocket and chaindrive.

The pins 20 traveling up the curved surface of the guide Ii they aregradually anduniformly elevated into feeding engagement in .corresponcling holes in the stationary strips 3. ,Because of the larger radius ofthe guide it, the feed pins approach the plane. of the record stripsalong a more acutely disposed. path of travel. enter the holes, moreslowly through a greater range of travel, and maintain their engagementtherewith through a further greater range than if the feeding pins werecarried directly on there-- vpleted their strip ripheries of thcorresponding rotary heads or v pulleyslZ. i r i In their advance overthe arcuate guides the conveyor belts or e tangentialrelationwiththe-record strips 3 and 20 are progressively projected terval. Asthe pins pass beyond th crests of thearcuate guides iirthey begin towithdraw from the feed holesiri the record material. As the feed pinsass from-the large radii arcuate guides it onto the pulleys I! of lesserradii, the withdrawal of the .pins fromthe holes is accelerated.

tapes are elevatedinto tary heads or pulleys l2. However, having co'm-'pins in. passing about the periphery of the ro tary heads or pulleys actin a manner. as though mounted on such pulleys. As a result,the'disengagementof the'pins from the strips is effected more quicklyand abruptly and Within alesser range of movement of the strips. While agreater. number of turns of the crank handle and P leys is jnece'ssaryto advance-the Th feed pins the belts I! and although the speed oflineal advancement remains the same.

One of the differences between the action of pin wheels or sprockets oflarger and smaller record strips a'g-iven distance than would 'berequired if a large sprocket or pin wheels were employed, neverthelessthe feeding effect of the pins 20 as they advance over the curved guide16 is quite analogous to the advantageous feeding action of such largersize sprocket or pin wheel; Thus, the action of a' feeding device oflarg'e size is attained within able register cabinet,.;or other stripfeeding or recording apparatus too small to contain such large sizefeeding unit.

It is recognized that sprocket chainsjupon which relatively spacedfeeding pinsarec'arried have been heretofore used for feeding marginallypunched record. strips and for other conveyor purposes. but such seriesconnected feeding pins have not been directed through arcuate paths oftravel in tangential relation with the driven member in such relation asto afford the advantage of a larger size feeding sprocket or pin wheelwithin a limited space.

the guides 22' are while the elevated straightrear provided with acontinuous feeding operation, thefeedi the limitedspace of aportstantially tangential relation While the invention is hereindescribed in its relation to an autographic register, it is to be mentordisengagement of the pins and record material have been effectedabout'arcs of rela-'- tively short radii.

The present means of affording the advantages of a large pin wheelwithin restricted spaces available upon typewriters, tabulators, billingand addressing machines, and the like, is illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and10. In such embodiment, the

record material 3 is advanced abouta rotary platen roll 24 past awriting position,wherein the record material is engaged by an imprintingtype member 25, and beyond which the inscribed record material isdirected in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined direction.

The pin carrying belt l9 isconducted about a pair of spaced sprockets25,.one of which is either directly'connected or is connected through agear trainforfunison rotation with the platen roll. Located intermediatethe sprockets 25, in the path of travel of the conveyor belt l8,.isanarcuateguide l6 of thedesired radius disposed in subwith the path oftravel of therecord material. The feeding pins upon the conveyor beltare maintained out of engagement wtih the record material during theirupward travel by grooved guide rollers 26, except as they pass over thearcuate guide l6.- During such passage the pins 20 are progressively andgradually projected into the holes in the record material and aretemporarily maintained in feeding engagement therein, and subsequentlywithdrawn. The timing of the v tlons of the feeding pins 20 and therecord material is determined by the radius of the arcuate guide l8.Obviously, such type of feeding device may be disposed to effect feedingengagement with the record material either during its departure from theplaten roll as illustrated,

or during its approach thereto, as is more or less common with othertypes of feeding mechanisms of the prior art.

In Figs. 1 and 4 the guide member, has been shown to -be adjustablerelative to thepulley I2 to enable the extent of the arcuate deflectionof the pin'carrying band or tape to-be varied.

Fromthe above description'it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but

which obviously is susceptible of modification-in its form, proportions,detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved-or sacrificing anyof its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited changing rela--cations within the legitimate and valid scope or the appended claims. a

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A strip feeding device for a recording appa-.

ratus, including a traveling conveyor belt, a series of spaced feedingpins carried thereby and engageable with a strip of record material toadvance the latter past a recording position, com- I municating arcuateguide portions for the belt of 2.- A record strip feeding device for arecording apparatus, including a traveling conveyor belt, a series ofrelatively spaced feeding pins carried thereby and progressivelyengageable in correspondingly spaced holes in the record strip, a

rotary driver for the belt, and contiguous them to, a segmental arcuateguide of greater radius, contour of which merges the driver, anddisposed in than the driver, the

uniformly into that of substantially tangential relation with the pathof travel of the strip over which the pin carryingbelt is progressivelyadvanced from one tothe other, the construction and arrangement being.such that the advancement of the pins into en-' gaging relation with thestrip and the range of engagement maintained therewith will besubstantially equivalent to those of a pin wheel hav ing a radius equalto that of the arcuate guide. 8. A strip feeding register, having awriting tablet over which superposed strips of record material areadvanced past a writing position, including an endless belt conveyorengageable with the record material, a

rotary driver for advancing the conveyor, and an arcuate guide for theconveyor being ofgreater radius than the rotary driver the guiding face01' which is disposed in tangential relation with the periphery of therotary driver over which the belt is directed, and by which the belt isdeflected from its course determined by the driver into operativeengagement with.the record material.

4. A pin type feeding device progressively engageable in longitudinallyspaced configurations,

in a strip of material to be fed, including an endless traveling belt, aplurality of relatively spaced feedingof travel of means for anautograr'ihic pins carried thereby and engageable in I theconfigurations of the strip to be fed, a pulley about which the belt isdirected, and an arcuate guide element of greater radius than the pulleydisposed with its arcuate face in substantially that the belt traversesthe arcuate guide, and

pulley successively in tangential relation with the path through whichthe strip to be fed is ad- 7 to the specific features shown, but thatthe means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred formof several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the inventionis therefore claimed in any of itsformsor modifitangential relation withthe periphery of the pulley, the construction and arrangement being suchvanced thereby.

5. A belt conveyor apparatus, including a traveling belt, a plurality ofrelatively spaced pins carried thereby and guide means for directing thebelt through a'pathof travel, including a bight of changing radii intangential relation with a member to be conveyed with which the pinsprogressively engage, the construction and arrangement being such thatthe engagement acres" 9 and disengagement of the pins therewith will be7 effected differentially.

6. A strip feeding device whereby a continuous strip of record materialis progres'siveiy'ad- Vanced pasta recording position, comprising atraveling pin carrying belt, the pins of which are progressivelyengageable in longitudinally spaced holes in the record strip. and anarcuate guide for the belt of progressively changing radius dis- -sedin' tangential relation with the path of ravei oi. the record strip bywhich the pins are given a dliferent rate of engaging and disengagingmovement relative to the strip. g '1. A pin type strip feeding devi iorprogressively advancinga record strip past a recording position.including a series of traveling pins progressively engageable inlongitudinally spaced holes in the strip. and guide means ior directingthe pins through an arcuatepath of, travel of progressive changingradius tangential with the path of travel of the strip, wherein the pinsprogressively engage and disengage the record strip through travel 8. Apin type strip ieeding device for progressiveiy advancing a record-strippast a recording position, including a series of traveling pinsprogressively engageable in longitudinally spaced holes in the strip,and adjustable guide means for directing the traveling pinsthrough anarcuate path of varlable extent with the record strip.

g ALBERT W.

ranges of different lineal extent.

in tangentialrelation

